Water-flume.



F. M. DOAK.

WATER FLUME.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1912.

Patented Feb. 1 1, 1913.

WITNESSES INVENTOR gi a 9w.

ATTORNEY NE STATES PATENT FFTCE.

FREDERICK M. DOAK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

WATER-FLUME.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK M. DOAK, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVat-er- F luines, of which the following is a specification.

The hereinafter described invention relates to that class of water flumes comprising a plurality of open metallic sections, the ends of which are united and the joined sections supported by means of a suitable frame erected along the line of the flumeway. Ordinarily, the flumes of this character are formed of a number of short metallic sections, each approximately two feet in length, requiring that a large number of the same be united to form a flume section of any given length, as, for instance, in erecting thirty-two feet of flurne it is required to make fifteen joints or connection, or in one mile of flume with two foot sections there are two thousand six hundred and thirtynine joints, which materially adds to the field work and time required to properly construct a flume of any considerable length.

The object of the present invention is to facilitate the erection of metallic water flumes, to reduce the expense incident thereto, to so connect the sections as to allow for free expansion thereof, and in general to produce a stronger, more durable flume and one less liable to leakage than with the open metallic flume as at present constructed.

With the present invention the open inetallic flume sections are made in lengths of sixteen feet, so that in each mile of constructed flume there exists three hundred and thirty joints or flume sections, as against two thousand six hundred and thirty-nine joints with two foot standard sections, with the result that the field work of erecting the fiume is reduced to a minimum.

To comprehend the invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a broken plan view of the improved flume. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line w-0c Fig. 1 of the drawings. Fig. 3 is a broken side view of the flume.

In the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 are used to designate adjacent metallic fiume sections each approximately sixteen feet in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 25, 1912.

Patented Feb. 11,1913.

Serial No. 711,447.

length, and three feet in width at the top thereof, the forward end. of section 1 overlapping the adjacent end of section 2 for a distance suflicient to establish a closure at such point, saytwo inches, more or less. The upper side edge of each flume section is united or riveted to the flange a of an angle iron reinforcing strip 3, which extends the length of each flume section to within a distance of the ends thereof equal to the overlap of adjacent sections, so that when the sections are properly placed relative to each other the ends of adjacent angle irons 3 abut. The flume is held between and supported by a suitable frame structure, comprising in the present instance the upright posts 4, tie braces 5, and the spaced longitudinally disposed stringers 7. On the said stringers 7 rest the outwardly extended flange Z) of the angle irons 3, so that the entire weight of the flume as constructed falls on and is taken care of by the frame structure, and transverse of said structure at each joint or union of adjacent fiume sections is provided a channel iron beam or bridge piece 8, the ends of which rest on the flange b of the angle iron 3 and covers the abutting ends of said angle iron, which in turn rest on the tie plate 9 fitted in the cutaway portion 10 of the stringers 7, the said tie plate breaking the oint of the abutting ends of the angle irons and with the angle irons being united to the channel iron beam 8 by means of the securing bolts 11. The outer ends of the beam 8 rest on a flushing plate 12 which is equal in thickness to that of the flange b of the reinforcing angle irons 3, and the said beam with the plates 12 are secured to the longitudinal stringers 7 of the supporting frame structure by means of the lag-screws 13, the channel beam be ing thus held firmly in position relative to the supporting frame structure.

Under the described structural arrangement of the parts it is only required in assembling the flume to place the outwardly extended flange of the reinforcing angle irons on the side stringers of the frame structure, the abutting ends of said angle irons resting on the inserted tie plates 9, then arrange the channel beam 8 transverse of the supporting structure for the flume above the overlapping ends of adjacent flume sections, unite thereto the tie plates and angle irons of adjacent flume sections by the bolts 11 and finally secure the channel beam to the stringers 7 by means of the lagscrews 13. The parts are thus quickly and easily assembled and when in position the entire weight of the constructed openmetallic fiume is uniformly distributed throughout the supporting frame structure, and inasmuch as the overlapping ends of adjacent metallic fiume sections are not interlocked or tied one to the other, the said sec tions are permitted free longitudinal expansion relative to one another, such eX- pansion being a matter of importance on ac count of the climatic changes to which flumes of this character are subjected, as it provides against buckling of the sections and possible breakage at the oint union and the leakage which in such event take place.

By reason of the quick assembling of the parts permissible under this construction of the described fiume system, there is a material gain in time and labor in the installation thereof and as the joint unions and the coupling features therefor are reduced to a minimum without in any manner impairing the strength of the fiume, there is created a considerable reduction in the expense of the installation, and inasmuch as the weight of the fiume is uniformly distributed throughout the supporting structure, the danger of sagging of the fiume sections due to the length thereof is avoided.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A water-way fiume, the same comprising a supporting structure, a plurality of comparatively long metallic open flume sections held therein, the ends of adjacent sec tions overlapping, an angle iron reinforcing strip secured to the slde edges of each fiume section and resting on the supporting structure, and means for detachablynniting each angle iron reinforcing strip to thesuppo-rt-.

ing structure adjacent the transverse joint formed by the overlapping ends of the fiume sections.

2. A water-way fiume, the same comprising a supporting structure, a plurality of comparatively long metallic open fiume sections held within the sphere of the supporting structure, the ends of adjacent fiume sections overlapping, an angle iron reinforcing strip secured to the upper edges of each fiume section and resting on the supporting structure, a tie plate on the said structure for breaking the j olnt between the abutting Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of'Iatents,

supporting structure above the joint of adacent fiume sections, devices for connecting the tie plates and the ends of adjacent angle irons to the channel beam, and means for securing the said beam to the supporting structure.

3. A water-way fiume, the same comprising a supporting structure, a plurality of comparatively long metallic open fiume sections situated within the sphere of the-supporting structure, the ends of adjacent sections overlapping, angle irons secured to the upper edges of each fiume section for holding the same to the supporting structure, a beam transversely disposed relative to the said structure above the jointof adjacent fiume sections, devices for uniting the angle irons of adjacent fiume sections to the transverse beam, and means for securing the said beam to the supporting structure.

at. A water-way fiume, the same comprising a supporting structure, a plurality of comparatively long metallic open fiume sections held within the sphere of the supporting structure with the ends of adjacent sections overlapping, a longitudinally disposed angle iron reinforcing strip secured to the side edges of each fiume section, said angle irons resting on the supporting structure to distribute uniformly thereon the weight of the fiume sections, and means for uniting the abutting ends of the angle irons of adjacent fiume sect-ions to the supporting structure.

5. The combination with a suitable supporting structure, of a flume composed of a plurality of comparatively long open metallic fiume sections held within the sphere of the said structure and the ends of adjacent sections overlapping, a beam transversely disposed relative to the supporting Structure immediately above each of the overlapping joints of the fiume sections, means for clamping the ends of adjacent fiume sections to the transverse beam, and devices for securing the said beam to the supporting structure.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

N. A. AoKER, D. B. RICHARDS.

Washington, D. C. 

